Watchdog Group Outraged by Elephant Sale to San Antonio Zoo;
USDA allows illicit exhibitor to profit following Federal Violations

SAN ANTONIO, TX - SAEN (Stop Animal Exploitation Now!) is condemning the
recent sale of Queenie/Boo to the San Antonio Zoo. The sale resulted from a
consent agreement between the USDA and Wilbur Davenport (Maximus, Tons of Fun)
which settled a case arising from major Animal Welfare Act Violations by
Davenport.

Davenport, whose USDA license has been revoked, faced fines totaling
$100,000.00 if Queenie was not relinquished. The sale of Queenie to the San Antonio Zoo reduced the fine to
a paltry $15,000.00, while garnering $35,000 for Davenport – a net profit of $20,000.

USDA inspection reports for Davenport’s facility reveal that during the previous
confiscation of two
other elephants (Tina and Jewel); USDA officials were confronted with threats
and vehicles blocking
the confiscation. Tina and Jewel, who had lost hundreds of pounds of body weight
in the care of Mr.
Davenport, were used in shrine circuses.

The San Antonio Zoo has only a one half acre elephant exhibit for Lucky, the
current Asian elephant
who has been housed singly since 2007 when her companion Alport died. The
exhibit lacks
stimulation for Lucky who already demonstrates stereotypical behavior from
captivity induced stress.

San Antonio Zoo Director McCusker, along with documentation from the Asian
elephant studbook
and the elephant RCP has previously stated that Asian elephants will not be a
part of future plans for
the Zoo. Mr. McCusker has been quoted in previous interviews as saying the zoo
would obtain a
companion for Lucky and that later both elephants would be sent out. Lucky and
her companion
(Asian elephants) would be replaced by African Elephants. A letter from Gay
Bradshaw,
internationally recognized behavioral expert supports the transfer of Lucky to
sanctuary after viewing
her repetitive behavioral patterns.

A previous offer to take Lucky made by the Elephant Sanctuary (TN) was refused.
A previous offer
from PAWS (Performing Animal Welfare Society) to take Queenie/Boo was also
refused. Both of
these facilities offer exemplary care for elephants, and had offered to take
these elephants without
cost to government agencies.

“Having lived in the San Antonio area, visited the zoo and Lucky many times,
tracked Tina, Jewel
and Queenie across the country, I can emphatically state that this is one of the
worst scenarios that I
have ever encountered in years of monitoring captive wildlife situations,” said
Don Elroy, Director of
Wildlife Advocacy for SAEN. “This placement shows a total disregard for the
welfare of these
animals and reveals underlying problems within AZA, USDA and individual
entities. No animal
should be considered a commodity to be transferred around without regard to
their welfare.”

All documentation referred to in this release is available upon request.